Scottish dance talent returns to Theatre Royal, Glasgow in Ballet Nights

Following a sold-out show in 2025, Ballet Nights, a Fundamentally Dance production, returns to the Theatre Royal, Glasgow for two nights from Wednesday 2 until Thursday 3 September. Former Scottish Ballet soloist and Ballet Nights founder Jamiel Devernay-Laurence comes back to compere the show in his artistic home with an ambitious programme of international and local talents to celebrate classical ballet and contemporary dance.

This programme is bookended by special performances featuring Scotland’s own Harris Bell, a soloist at the Royal Ballet in London, with his wife Sae Maeda, a first soloist at the Royal Ballet. Harris and Sae married last year in Dollar, Scotland, and they will partner in two duets in Ballet Nights Glasgow: the joyful Moszkowski Waltz and the Act III’s pas de deux from The Sleeping Beauty. This is the grand wedding pas de deux between Princess Aurora and her Prince. A spectacular duet, interpreted by exceptional artists and real-life husband and wife, it will showcase classical ballet at its finest.

With 11 dance works and three live music performances, the programme offers a wide breadth of styles and stories to celebrate dance. Ballet pieces will showcase exceptional talents from Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo and Birmingham Royal Ballet, while contemporary voices include James Pett and Travis Clausen-Knight, founders of PCK Dance in Inverness, with an excerpt from their critically acclaimed duet Imago. Elsewhere, the programme showcases the distinctive physicality of British contemporary powerhouse James Wilton Dance, and a piece from B.DANCE’s repertoire, from Taiwan, that blends Asian martial arts, folk dance and modern physical theatre.

Ballet Nights continues its mission to celebrate and nurture the next generation of artists. In a remarkable partnership, students of the BA in Modern Ballet from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland will perform a piece choreographed by Daniel Davidson, former dancer with Scottish Ballet and Rambert Dance Company. PLATFORM, a creative programme from Rambert School, the world-leading centre of ballet and contemporary dance training, yielded Atlas, a duet by Chrysanthi Nikolaou and Django Bates-Blower. They will perform their piece with Ballet Nights as professionals for the first time since graduating.

Ballet Nights Founder and Artistic Director Jamiel Devernay-Laurence said: “Returning to Glasgow after last year’s sellout feels extra special. Back in my old home, the city showed us from the very first night that there’s a real appetite for world-class dance here, and the reception for the series is a happy memory as the first regional adventure for Ballet Nights.

“This time, we’re thrilled to bring Scottish talent from The Royal Ballet, with Harris Bell making his Theatre Royal debut. With an incredible line-up for two nights at Glasgow Theatre Royal, I can’t wait to see what this audience brings to the experience once again.”